Cost of Attendance

NOTE: Please notify the Financial Aid Office if you will be receiving external scholarships, grants, employee/spouse/dependent tuition waivers, or third party payments to avoid a potential over award situation.

Cost of Attendance (COA) or Student Budget is an algorithmic estimate of your educational expenses for a given period of enrollment, wherein different standard costs are derived by assigning values to corresponding components, e.g., tuition, books, fees, residency, enrollment, and grade level, among others, to create a corresponding student budget. NMSU uses data from national publications, and performs region specific research to develop the cost of attendance component values. These values, in accordance with federal regulations, are designed to cover the basic cost of your education at NMSU, at an average standard of living, and may not cover additional costs that are yours by choice. A fall and spring budget will consist of a 4.5 month allowance each, and a summer budget will be calculated for 3 months.

How do I receive a Student Budget?

You will receive a Student Budget upon the successful submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the correct aid year, and submission and approval of any documentation required by the Financial Aid Office. Documentation may include, but is not limited to:

Direct Budget Components

Tuition and Fees will be assigned based on the exact cost of the program in which you are enrolled, and the amount credit hours you are taking in a single semester. Your tuition and fees will default to a certain quantity until you have registered for classes. The enrollment hours default to 12 hours for an undergraduate student and 6 hours for a graduate student, until you are officially enrolled.

Room and Board will be assigned according to information received from your FAFSA and your home campus. Room and board rates are based on a survey of apartments, dorms, meal plans and food expenses located in the vicinity of your home campus. Students may be ineligible for the Room component of Student Budget if you receive a military housing stipend or are independent and live at home. You will be ineligible for both a Room and Board component if you are enrolled less than half time (6 hours for undergraduates and 5 hours for graduates) or if you are currently incarcerated.

Books and Supplies will be assigned to all students using national averages obtained from The College Board and/or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Personal Expenses will be assigned to all students using national averages obtained from The College Board and/or the IRS. Personal expenses include costs for clothing, toiletries, recreational and other miscellaneous expenses. You will be ineligible for a Personal Expenses component if you are enrolled less than half time (6 hours for undergraduates and 5 hours for graduates).

Transportation will be assigned to all students using national averages obtained from The College Board and/or the IRS. Transportation costs are based on a student living locally and commuting to class five days a week.

Please keep in mind that your budget will change to reflect any updates you may make to your student record and/or FAFSA.